Monza: Rodolfo Gonzalez race report

Gonzalez misses out
Venezuelan Rodolfo Gonzalez was competing last weekend at the Monza race
circuit (near Milan) in the latest British F3 races. The full grid of 33
cars were part of the FIA GT Championship on what was hot, steamy and
exciting...

Gonzalez misses out

Venezuelan Rodolfo Gonzalez was competing last weekend at the Monza race
circuit (near Milan) in the latest British F3 races. The full grid of 33
cars were part of the FIA GT Championship on what was hot, steamy and
exciting weekend's action.

Again in the Saturday qualification sessions Gonzalez was battling for a
top 10 grid slot but had to content with 2 lower grid slots. This was in
part due to spinning off at the Parabolica corner in the morning Free
practice, which meant missed setup time.

For the two races on the Sunday Gonzalez was determined to carry on with
his great starts to make up grid slots, but in the first race a slipping
clutch meant he had a slow getaway and therefore ended up battling with
National class cars. One of the good points at Monza is the long main
straight where you can draft up behind the car in front and overtake before
the first corner. The two chicanes also offer the driver a different
overtaking option.

In Race 2 there was chaos at the first chicane as one driver spun with the
other drivers taking avoiding action. Gonzalez had made a better start and
through this managed to move up to 6th place from 17th on the grid!

For the next 5 laps Gonzalez battled to keep his position, but then at the
first chicane a car crashed in the back of him sending him off into barrel
rolls into the gravel trap.

He managed to crawl out of the car, assisted by the marshals and was
applauded by the fans who were pleased to see that he was not hurt.

After the weekend Gonzalez commented "I think overall this was a difficult
weekend right from the start. We made a step forward with the car for the
race and yet again I proved to have the pace to battle the guys at the
front. Race one was difficult because my clutch failed at the start line so
I had a poor get away but in race 2 I came from 17th to 6th place.
Unfortunately on lap Five another driver put his front wheel between my two
wheels and sent me into a barrel roll, was unfortunate because up to that
point was a very good race."

Gonzalez is determined to move up the grid and is looking forward to the
next British F3 races which will be held at the Brands Hatch Grand Prix
Circuit on July 15th